Pollution Update

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued fines on Dec. 5 to food processing equipment manufacturer A & K Development Co. and to G & R Auto Wreckers, Inc. for Clean Water Act violations at Eugene facilities. DEQ fined A & K $6,427 for failure to monitor for copper and zinc at its facility at 410 Chambers Street, and fined G & R $10,106 for failure to monitor for pH at its Pick-A-Part facility at 90579 Highway 99 North. In both instances, DEQ noted, “The system that protects water quality in Oregon is highly dependent on permittees complying with the monitoring requirements of their permits,” and that failure to comply with these requirements is “considered to be among the most serious of violations.” DEQ fined G & R $11,011 on Nov. 9 for similar violations at its facility in Independence.